He rises, closing the distance between us to perch on the corner of the table. His depthless blue eyes peer into mine.
“Everything I have done—including this—has been for your own good. If you choose to believe nothing else out of my mouth, believe that.”
What does that even mean?
“How in hell can you misconstrue all of this as having my best interests at heart?”
“I know you think I take pleasure in this, but you’re wrong. I don’t enjoy hurting you.” It’s astonishing how genuine his words sound. So genuine, I almost believe them. He continues in a slow, steady voice, “But I will if I must. Do not force my hand.”
“Didn’t anyone ever teach you that violence isn’t the only method of getting what you want?” I lift my chin, staring at him with cold defiance.
“It’s certainly the most efficient. Anyone with real power at their disposal who doesn’t use it is just wasteful.” I glare at him, itching to punch the cheeky smirk off that pouty bottom lip.
“But,”—he sighs, hanging his head—“as much as I hate to admit this, you may have a point. Maybe you and that bleeding heart of yours would be more responsive to other…methods of persuasion.”
Kylian’s fingers trail down my biceps. I rip my arm away, ignoring the delicious wave of chills that spring to life on my skin.
“Don’t even think about it.”
“I wasn’t talking about sex. But funny how your mind goes straight to the subject,” he mutters, eyes narrowing. “What would you propose?”
“A show of good faith. Maybe we can come to some sort of agreement.”
“The only agreement I’m interested in is marriage.”
I get to my feet. “You know, my cell sounds really appealing right now. I think I’m going to go.”
He moves fast—turning and pinning me against the table as his hands reach out to bracket my waist. All the air leaves the room. His presence, his stature, his hands make me feel so small.
“Stay. Tell me what you had in mind.”
I swallow hard, looking up at him. “Stop beating Kai.”
“Why would I do that when I know how much it unnerves you? Each time I beat that little maggot, you come closer to caving in. I see how it wears on you. On your weak, little heart.” He grips the edge of the table with locked arms and leans in dangerously close.
“It isn’t a weakness to care,” I manage to get out, feeling his cheek brush mine.
“The weakness lies inhavinga heart,” he says, his voice softer than midnight rain. My eyelids threaten to flutter at the sound.
Why is he standing so close? And why is it getting harder to think?
“If I left him alone—” His eyes trace a brazen line down the plunging neckline of the flowing red gown he gave me for tonight, slicing into me with perfect precision. “What would I get in return?”
“I’ll consider your request. Seriously.”
He pulls back, giving me a doubtful look. “Oh, I’ll need something more tangible than a flimsy promise.”
“Then what do you want? I won’t marry a sadistic king who murders females on a whim and beats his own brother to the brink of death. If you can show me there’s more to you than that, then I willconsider it. But the more you do this, the more you torture him, the farther away you push me.”
He looks over every detail of my face as if trying to swallow me with his stare.
“I’ll stop.”
My eyes almost fall out of my head. I remain silent, worried that even one breath and he’ll change his mind.
“In exchange for what?” I force out. I know this won’t come for free.
Kylian eases back and walks over to the high-backed leather chair by the roaring fire. He sits down, his posture arrogantly sensual, leaned back, legs spread out before him.
